As The Petals Fall
by LovedLik3WildFire
Summary: ***I posted this story almost a year ago, situations in my life changed, and I ended up deleting it. Now, I'm reposting the chapters and starting where I left off. The title is new though, because frankly, I cannot remember what I titled this the first go around. Description in the first chapter.***
1. Chapter 1

**Story Summary:** _Rose Tyler finally found her way home - to her world, her universe. But she decided looking for the Doctor would be too painful, so she moved on with her life - his face and smile forever a beautiful memory. One morning at a coffee shop changes all that, and Rose decides she's done hiding from what might happen if she opens her heart again._

 _This story starts with the 11th Doctor first beginning to travel with Amy and Rory. However, there will be lots of changes to what actually happened from beyond that point. For those of you who ship the 11th Doctor/River Song, this is not your story. No River Song here (Don't throw things at me, because honestly, I love her as a character, she just doesn't fit in with this story line)._

 _Anyway, those who ship Rose/Doctor - regardless of regeneration - this is for you. Enjoy!_

* * *

The muffled sound of a car horn stirred Rose from her sleep. Her muscles ached from sleeping in one position for too long, and as she stretched, she could feel them tightening up. It had been a long day at work yesterday, lifting heavy boxes and stocking shelves. Though she was only twenty-four, Rose found a lot of strenuous work difficult on her body. In the back of her mind, she always wondered if it had anything to do with all her time travel.

Shaking those thoughts away from her mind, she made her way toward her bathroom to get ready for the day. Looking in the mirror, she cringed.

"When did those appear?" She asked herself, touching the dark circles underneath her eyes. Maybe it was just in her imagination, but she thought the reflection staring back at her looked old, worn. Rose had never been vain, but as she scanned her face, she found herself embarrassed. When had she decided not to care about her appearance?

Her alarm clock suddenly went off - interrupting her thought process -, and she quickly ran over to shut it off. The time read 8:00am, and though it was a Saturday - her first Saturday off in over six months - Rose did not want to waste the day. Grabbing some clothes from her closet, she ran back into the bathroom to get ready. Her coffee maker broke several days prior, so if she wanted any caffeine, she needed to go down to the corner coffee shop.

"Bloody rain," She mumbled, pulling the hood of her jacket over her head. The streets, though soaked from the beginnings of the storm, were bustling with people. She had readjusted to the crowds, however, and found it easy to make her way down the street.

It had been four years since she had returned to London - her London. Though most of her family had made a comfortable life for themselves in the parallel world, Rose had never been content. At first, she spent every waking moment trying to find a way to return - to seek out the Doctor and pick up where they left off. However, as the years went by, she found she simply wanted to return to what she had known.

So when Torchwood had reopened the gap between the two worlds, Rose had been ecstatic. She was going home! Yet her Mum and Dad had protested her going. That world didn't need her like they did. Their protests fell on deaf ears though, and the moment Torchwood was ready, she was ready.

At first, the return to her world was a bit of shock. For all intensive purposes, she was dead. Fortunately, her Mum's apartment was still vacant - though it had been gutted when the bills weren't being paid. Rose lived on the floor of that apartment for almost three months until she could scrape up enough cash to buy a bed.

"What can I get you?"

Rose blinked for a moment, coming back to reality. "Coffee, black. Two sugars." She paused. "And one of those blueberry muffins."

As she sat down with her breakfast, the rain began to let up. The sun peaked through the clouds and peered through the window nearest Rose. She sighed, sipping her coffee. Maybe it would be a lovely day after all.

Just then, something caught Rose's eye. There was a small group of people walking down the street, opposite the coffee shop. Two men and one woman. The woman looked to be having an animated discussion with one man, while holding the hand of the other. The man she was holding hands with didn't say much; he simply smiled at her. The second man, however, was fully engaged in the conversation. Hands flapping about and eyes wide - you could tell whatever it was, he thought it was important.

The group stopped for a moment, and as the conversation continued, Rose watched as the wide eyed man did a little spin. She chuckled softly to herself, thinking how silly he looked. What could possibly have him so excited? This question quickly vanished, however, when his full face came into view.

When Rose had returned to her Earth, she fully expected to see the Doctor at some point in her life. She knew how much he loved Earth and had placed it upon himself to protect it. But despite longing to see him, she knew how much time had passed. He probably found another person to travel with him, and didn't need her anymore. Besides, Rose wasn't sure she could take losing him again. So what's the best way to not lose someone?

To never find them in the first place.

But as she looked across the street at this stranger's face, she knew he was no stranger at all. He could regenerate eleven times over and Rose would still know her Doctor.

Once the realization traveled from her head to her heart, Rose knew she couldn't simply let him walk away. All the love she had for him - the love she buried so long ago - had resurfaced in the blink of an eye. It burned within her like a thousand star systems all going out at once. And despite that small voice in the back of her mind cautioning her that she would just get hurt again, Rose pressed on.

She quickly discarded her breakfast (for who had the stomach to eat now), and slowly made her way outside. Though she was anxious to see him, Rose knew she couldn't simply walk up to him. It would be too much of a shock to both their systems - not to mention his new companions.

"His new companions," She whispered to herself.

What was she going to do about the couple? Certainly, Rose had no qualms over meeting them. In fact, she wanted to. The Doctor had chosen these people to travel with him, and she knew how closed off he could be. So, if he chose them, then they were alright with her. It was just...Rose needed to see the Doctor again all on her own. There was so much they needed to say to one another. She had had an audience once, when he said goodbye to her on the beach. The least she was entitled to was a hello without prying eyes and listening ears.

"I want chips," The girl with the Doctor said suddenly. "Rory, let's get some chips."

"We just ate. And besides, it's only nine in the morning. Who's going to have chips?" The man - Rory - said.

"Oh come on," The girl responded, her thick Scottish accent giving gusto to every word. "Live a little."

The rest of their conversation was drowned out by the sound of a car horn, but by the look on both Rory and the young woman's face, Rose knew they were going to get chips. The Doctor said something to them, and sat down on the bench, watching his companions walk down the street and disappear into a small shop.

A mix of excitement and anxiety filled Rose's whole body, and she knew that this was her moment. For the first time in what felt like forever, she was going to be with the Doctor again, if only for a moment.

Rose moved quickly to the other side of the street, keeping herself from his view. The Doctor needed to think that he saw her first, not the other way around. And of course, he probably would. He regenerated, and would never expect Rose to recognize him in his current body. Oh, how little he actually knew.

Another crowd of people was coming up behind her, giving Rose the perfect camouflage. She would remain hidden behind them as they walked, until she was at the perfect spot to distinguish herself from the crowd. Hopefully, by then, he would notice her. There was a bench not ten feet away from the bench he was currently occupying. Rose would make her way to that bench, sit down, and hope for the best.

The crowd passed her and Rose fell in step with them. Not a single one of them noticed her, which was perfect. It gave her time to pull herself together. She could hear her heart beating inside of her chest, and she was certain the Doctor would be able to hear it too. A thousand different introductions were going through her head, and by the time the crowd had reached her bench, Rose was no more put together than a broken vase.

Much to her dismay, the Doctor wasn't even looking her direction when the crowd dissipated, leaving only her and him on that section of the street. It took all her willpower not to laugh, because she noticed he had taken out his sonic screwdriver and was scanning the bench. Same old Doctor.

Despite his lack of attention, Rose decided to press on anyway. She continued to walk until she was almost right in front of him. She pulled out her phone, to make it look like she was focused on that, instead of gauging his reaction. As she passed him, a soft breeze suddenly blew around them. It was at this moment Rose caught a glimpse of his head snapping up.

There was no denying it now.

The Doctor had seen her.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh, come on! Live a little."

The Doctor smirked as he watched Rory give into Amy. "Go on, you two. I'll be here."

At that, he sat down on the bench and began to look around. The three of them had been on their way to the year 4789 to a planet made entirely of glass when the TARDIS stopped dead in her tracks. It threw them all to the floor, and by the time the Doctor could ask what was going on, she was on the move again. Moments later, the TARDIS materialized on a backstreet in London.

Amy and Rory were disappointed, but decided to make a day of it and asked him if they could stay. The Doctor decided it couldn't hurt to stick around awhile, but secretly, something wasn't sitting right with him. He didn't let on his concern to his companions, wanting to give Amy and Rory their mini "vacation", as Amy called it. However, the moment his companions left to get something to eat, he was on the defensive.

Pulling out his sonic screwdriver, he began to scan all around him, starting with the bench. Nothing odd showed up, but the Doctor wasn't convinced. The TARDIS was more than happy to go where he asked her to, but her sudden decision to turn around and come back to London seemed odd. She only ever redirected him when she knew something.

"What's going on?" He thought, knowing full well she could read his thoughts. There was no response, so he just kept scanning.

A small bit of wind kicked up, and normally, the Doctor wouldn't have taken notice. Except as the wind blew, his nose caught a scent he hadn't smelled in a very long time. It was a sweet mix of lavender, vanilla, and something he could never quite put his finger on. Immediately, his head snapped up and standing not five feet from him was Rose Tyler.

It took all of his will power not to jump up and wrap her in his arms. That day on the beach came flooding back into his thoughts, and his hearts began to twist together in an odd sense of pain and excitement. The look on her face when she told him she loved him was seared into his memory forever. No amount of regenerating would ever alter that. And, as he began to say the three words he wished he'd said a long time ago, her fading image was just as strong. Rose never got to hear those words, and the Doctor never was able to say them.

Now, Rose was standing in front of him and there was nothing he could do but stare. He watched as she began to walk away from him, and he panicked - only to see that she was sitting on the bench next to his own. The panic subsided, and the Doctor fidgeted in his seat. There she was, looking down at her phone - feet away from the man who she had never wanted to leave.

And she didn't even know he was there.

His mind began to race on how to handle the situation. The Doctor didn't know how long she would be sitting on that bench. Two minutes or ten years, he needed to come up with a game plan. Amy and Rory would be back at any moment, and they certainly wouldn't want to sit on an old bench in front of a coffee shop all day. How could he explain to them the woman he had lost so long ago was back?

How did Rose even get back, anyway? The Doctor had sealed the cracks between the parallel worlds, making it impossible for her to return. No one had that kind of power - on earth, anyway - to reopen the seal and allow her to pass through. Thoughts of a parallel universe version of himself popped into his mind, but even then...

No, Rose was smarter than that. If she knew it would jeopardize the rest of the universe, she would never consent to opening up the cracks. It could forever alter time and space as we know it. Maybe he was imagining things. Maybe Rose Tyler wasn't sitting ten feet away from him.

"Nope, definitely her." He thought as he took another peek at her. This time, Rose wasn't looking at her phone though. She had turned her head toward him, and was looking past him. Was she waiting for someone?

The Doctor didn't have time to contemplate anymore theories of her existence in this moment, as Amy and Rory returned. They both were chatting about something, when Amy suddenly stopped.

"Doctor?" She said, looking concerned. "Is everything alright? Looks like you've seen a ghost."

He looked up at her and smiled, before jumping off the bench and sneaking a chip. "I'm always alright. You know that. Where are we off to now?"

Amy shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe spending the day in London wasn't such a good idea. To be honest...I'm bored."

"Even though I like calm, I'm bored too." Rory chimed in.

"Maybe the TARDIS was just in a mood," She commented. "Let's try going to 4789 again, eh?"

Panic rose within the Doctor's hearts. How could he convince them they needed to stay here, where he could see Rose? "No, no, no." He said quickly. "If she wants us here, then we're staying here."

Amy's eyes widened. "Something must be wrong, because I know you don't take orders from the TARDIS if you don't want to."

"The Doctor's right, Amy." Rory said nodding. "Let's just wait around awhile. Maybe she wants us to relax."

"Dull. But okay." She said shrugging. "But let's go somewhere nice. I saw a park up the road. Let's go there."

Before the Doctor could respond, Amy took his hand - along with Rory's - and started leading them both toward the park. He didn't want to raise suspicions, so he followed her lead. But every fiber in his being was screaming for him to turn back around.

* * *

Rose felt his eyes on her the moment his head snapped up. She smirked to herself as she realized the wind must have blow her scent his way. Thank God for the wind.

As she made her way over to the bench, he never took his eyes off her. If she didn't know it was him, Rose would have turned and told him to buzz off. Gawking was rude. Her eyes peeked over at him, and she noticed he was fidgeting. One of his new traits, she guessed.

After traveling with the Doctor through his ninth and tenth regeneration, Rose picked up on a few things. Though he was absolutely the same man, each regeneration had certain quirks about them. His ninth was very serious - loved fun, but was all about getting down to business first. His tenth was much more flirtatious - as if he didn't think she noticed. Now, as she sat on the bench across from him, she noticed this regeneration seemed to be a mix of both. His eyes were knit together in serious thought, while his hands were dancing all over the place.

Rose wanted to put him out of his misery, but she didn't know how. So, she did the only logical thing she could think of. Look in his direction. Turning her head, she peered first at him and then past him, like she was looking at something in the distance. It was in that same moment that the Doctor turned and looked at her. His piercing green eyes almost broke her resolve, but she stuck to her plan and didn't acknowledge him.

Not yet anyways.

His companions were returning, so Rose was running out time. They were chatting again about where to go. She remembered those conversations. Sometimes the Doctor would simply choose where they would go, or it would be a big discussion on the best place to land the TARDIS. The memories brought a smile to her lips.

Just as quickly as they had arrived, the girl - a redhead - suggested they go to the park up the road. Funny, Rose never noticed that park and she lived right down the street. Thoughts of how old she looked in the mirror this morning came flooding back to her mind. Did she not act her age, either? How could she not know of this park?

The Doctor didn't say anything when the redhead grabbed his hand and pulled them along with her. Panic rose within Rose's heart. What was she supposed to do now? She certainly couldn't stop them. How ridiculous would that look? She combed through her mind for ideas, but nothing was coming to her. Finally, as they were about ready to turn the corner, Rose did the only thing she could think of.

She looked directly at the back of his head, and as loudly as she could - in her thoughts - she said, "Doctor, wait."

And - much to Rose's shock and delight - the Doctor stopped dead in his tracks.

* * *

"Doctor, wait."

The Doctor froze, causing Amy and Rory to stumble a little.

"Doctor, what's the matter?" Rory asked.

He didn't respond for what felt like ages, his eyes wide with shock. Finally, after a moment, he looked at the both of them. "You two go ahead. There's something I have to do first." The Doctor had heard Rose so clearly in his mind, it was as if she had just shouted at him.

"Like what?" Amy asked, her face unbelieving.

"Rory, take Amy anywhere you want. I'll find you when I'm finished."

"Doctor?" He said, his voice full of confusing and concern.

He smiled softly, but his eyes were serious. "Go."

Rory didn't argue but took Amy's hand again, and pulled her away from the Doctor. Amy began to protest, but the look her old friend gave her shut her right up. As his companions disappeared around the corner, the Doctor could feel every nerve ending in his body jumping. It was as if someone had just shot an electrical current through him. His hearts beat faster than they had in a long time, and as he turned around, he could feel them speed up.

Rose had stood up and was coming right toward him. Certainly, she didn't know it was him. She couldn't. He froze as she walked by, almost brushing against his arm in the process. The Doctor remained frozen for a moment, as if his feet were cemented to the pavement. As Rose turned the corner though, he sprang into action and began to follow her.

He remained quite a few steps behind as to not raise any suspicions, but he couldn't help moving quickly. The words "Doctor, wait" echoed in his mind as he watched his former companion walk briskly down the road. Any thoughts of Amy and Rory, or why the TARDIS was acting up vanished from his mind. He had one goal, and that was to see where Rose was going.

The Doctor followed her a few more blocks before she stopped in front of a park. This must have been the park Amy was talking about. He looked around but didn't see either of his current companions. At the same moment, Rose turned and glanced in his direction before walking in.

His hearts leapt. Following her in, he watched as Rose made her way over to a secluded area of the park. An old swing set holding two swings placed neatly underneath an old oak tree. It looked as if these swings hadn't seen anyone in centuries. Rose sat down on one of the swings and allowed the momentum of that act to swing her forward slightly. She smiled softly, but didn't look at him again.

It was his move now, and the Doctor knew - if Rose indeed had called out to him with her mind - she was waiting for him to make the next move. He clasped his hands together, and wrung them together, bracing himself for this moment. All those years of regret and heartache culminated to this point in history, and despite his nerves, the only thing he could think was...

This is fantastic.


	3. Chapter 3

Rose sat down on the swing, and smiled. She hadn't considered what she was going to do when she spotted the park, but she knew that was where it would happen. The Doctor, much to her delight, had followed her. He attempted to look nonchalant about it, but she knew him better than that. While she allowed the swing to move her, Rose waited. It was his move now, and she knew - in time - he would make it.

"Hello." The Doctor stood next to her, his hands still fidgeting. "Hi. Is this swing taken?"

Rose smirked at how formal he sounded, but shook her head. "Not at all."

He sat down next to her, kicking his legs out a bit to give the swing momentum - just enough to propel him forward. She watched in amusement as he fiddled with his hands again, almost as if he was unsure where to place them. This regeneration was certainly more awkward than the two previous, but she didn't mind. In fact, she found it kind of endearing.

"Are you alright, mate?" She asked, pretending as if he were a stranger.

The Doctor looked over at her, his eyes scrunching together in confusion. "I'm fine. I'm always fine. It's just been some time since I've done this." He said, gesturing to the swing. "It's much more difficult than it looks."

At that, Rose let out a full fledge laugh and felt her entire body relax from it. This was one of the many things she missed about being with the Doctor. His ability to take any situation, and make it an enjoyable experience for her. No matter what they faced, he always knew how to calm her.

"It's actually not," She said finally, kicking her legs out and allowing her momentum to carry her. "You're just out of practice."

It was his turn to laugh, and the sound made Rose's heart melt. Looking over at him, she suddenly realized how foolish she was being. Why did she need him to be the one to break the ice? Yes, they were talking, but only as strangers. She thought of the first day they met, as the Doctor stood in the doorway of his TARDIS asking her to come along. Rose had hesitated, but ultimately decided to throw caution to the wind. And it was the best decision she ever made.

This one would be no different.

Rose stood up, letting the swing bounce behind her. The Doctor looked up at her, as she reached for his hand, pulling him up as well. He looked at her, surprised, but Rose just grinned, pulling him into a hug.

"Did you think I wouldn't know it was you?" She whispered to him.

The Doctor didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her, pulling her closer - if that was possible. They remained like that for what seemed like an eternity, though Rose certainly didn't mind. She smiled softly as she felt him bury his face into the crook of her neck.

Finally, he pulled back and took her face into his hands. "Rose Tyler."

Rose laughed, hugging him quickly again before taking his hands in hers. "Doctor." She looked him up and down. "A bow tie now?"

He pulled his hands out from hers, and adjusted it. "Bow ties are cool."

Rose laughed again. "It looks good on you. But..." She hesitated. "Did anyone tell you you're not ginger?"

The Doctor's face scrunched up - a mix between a frown and a grimace. "Oh, okay. I see. Rub it in."

Silence fell between them, and she knew what was coming. "We have a lot to talk about."

He nodded once, his hand lacing his fingers through her own. "First, I think there is someone who wants to see you."

* * *

"Are you alright, mate?"

The Doctor could feel Rose's eyes on him. It was a loaded question, he thought. How could he answer? Yes, he was alright - he was seated next to the woman who he never thought would be back in his life. Yet, no, he was not alright - she had been gone for hundreds of years, for him at least. Certainly, things would be different. Would their lives be too different now?

"I'm fine. I'm always fine. It's just been some time since I've done this." He answered, gesturing to the swing. "It's much more difficult than it looks."

She let out a full laugh, giving a boost of happiness to his hearts. "It's actually not. You're just out of practice."

The Doctor chuckled softly, looking up at the sky. The way she answered - the tone of her voice, the smile in her lips - brought him back to memories he had thought were long buried. Rose had never been afraid to call him out for something, even if it was as simple as swinging on a swing. It was good to know that aspect of her didn't change.

Suddenly, Rose stood up. The look on her face had turned from carefree to focused. She turned to him and reached for his hand. He didn't even flinch when her fingers wrapped around his own. Only when she gave his arm a tug, pulling him up from the swing, did his eyes widen. The surprise he felt in his heart exploded into pure, unadulterated joy when she wrapped her arms around him.

"Did you think I wouldn't know it was you?" She whispered into his ear before burying her face into the crook of his neck.

The smell of her enveloped him, and he pulled her as close as he possibly could. The last time he had hugged her, he had been a few inches taller. So, it felt a little strange at first - not what he remembered. But within seconds, none of that mattered. Every single minute they had been apart from one another - and even the world around them - seemed to vanish. It was just the Doctor and Rose. As it should be.

Reluctantly, the Doctor pulled back. "Rose Tyler," He said, taking her face into his hands.

Rose laughed and threw herself into his arms again. She gave him a quick squeeze before pulling back. "Doctor." There was brief pause as she smirked. "A bow tie now?"

"Bow ties are cool." He said, adjusting the tie around his neck.

"It looks good on you. But..." She hesitated a moment, causing his mind to freeze. So many years ago, when he had regenerated in front of her, Rose did not take it well. She had a difficult time accepting him in his new body, even though he told her a thousand times over he was the same man. Now, as they stood together again, he feared she wouldn't see him the same way as she did all those years ago. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she finished her sentence. "Did anyone tell you you're not ginger?"

Any fear he may have had about not being accepted disappeared. Instead, his face scrunched up, in mock offence. "Oh, okay. I see. Rub it in."

Silence surrounded them, and the Doctor could feel the mood change. Something indeed was wrong. He could feel it.

Rose's face became serious again - just as it had before she pulled him off the swing. "We have a lot to talk about."

He nodded. They certainly did. While this reunion was sweeter than anything he could have imagined (and believe me, he did imagine), they did need to have a serious conversation. When both of them had started their day, they never could have dreamed they would be seeing each other. It was a moment in history no one could have predicted.

Wait a minute, he thought. Someone did predict it. The TARDIS suddenly deciding to change course and come to London. Her silence as the Doctor fed her question after question in his mind. It was all coming together now. The TARDIS didn't sense an emergency and change course so the Doctor could save the day. She had changed course because she sensed Rose.

He smiled, lacing his fingers through Rose's hand. "First, I think there is someone who wants to see you."


	4. Chapter 4

Rose followed the Doctor closely, their arms brushing against one another. The moment he had told her someone wanted to see her, she knew instantly they were headed to the TARDIS. Part of Rose was anxious to see her old friend too. She smiled to herself, thinking of all the times she had laughed at the Doctor for speaking to the TARDIS like it was a living, breathing person. But as they turned the corner, and that beautiful blue box came into view, Rose realized he had been right. She was very much alive.

"Excited, are we?" The Doctor said, his eyes widening as the TARDIS doors flung open without his assistance. He gently placed his hand on the other door, gliding it over the paint-chipped door. "You knew."

Rose smirked. "Need a minute with her, Doctor?"

He turned, grinning like a child. Instead of answering her, he held his arm out toward the TARDIS. "After you, Miss Tyler."

She laughed this time, but her laughter soon faded when she stood in front of the console. It was completely different. Rose hadn't thought it was possible to make such a drastic change, but apparently, it was. The room was lighter and brighter than it had ever been. Silver varnished every area, adding to light. Looking up, she noticed the odd circular symbols decorating the ceiling. The Doctor had mentioned that was his written language. He had once tried to explain it to her, but she didn't understand a single bit of it.

After a few minutes, Rose placed her hand on the console, running her fingers over the cool metal. "I've missed you too." She whispered, smiling softly.

The TARDIS suddenly sprang to life, the lights behind the symbols flashing brightly. The door slammed shut and that all too familiar screeching sound flooded their ears. The Doctor appeared at Rose's side and began to work his magic, flipping switches and turning knobs.

"It wasn't me," Rose said, remembering how many times she had tinkered with the controls in the past, only to have the Doctor quickly fix her mess. "I swear."

"What are you doing?" He said, panicked. "We can't just leave now. I know you're happy about Rose, but I'm not stranding Amy and Rory. Yes, they're technically back in their timelines but still..." He went on and on, but Rose heard none of it.

Instead, she was focused on the strange feeling in her chest. It was as if her heart was being warmed from the inside. If she'd been older, she would have thought she was having a heart attack. The warming plateaued finally, and a new sensation was added.

Rose was filled with a determined anxiety, yet she didn't feel afraid. It was as if she was touching a warm cup of tea - she wasn't warm, it was just the teacup. Suddenly, realization dawned on her. She wasn't feeling anxious.

The TARDIS was.

"Doctor," Rose said finally. "Let her go."

The Doctor looked over at Rose, confused. "What?"

"I said, 'Let her go.' She's scared."

Much to Rose's surprise, the Doctor stopped what he was doing. The confusion in his voice had travelled to his face. He narrowed his eyes at her. "I know that." There was a brief pause before he continued. "But how do you know that?"

That was, indeed, the question. How did Rose know the TARDIS was scared? The Doctor has mentioned several times throughout their time together that the TARDIS was connected to her, now that she travelled with him. But the connection only went in one direction - from the TARDIS to Rose, not the other way around. So, how was it possible she had sensed the TARDIS so clearly?

Rose smiled, putting her questions in the back of her mind for future thoughts. "Just a guess. I mean, she did leave in a hurry."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes again, but seemed satisfied with Rose's response. Much to her relief, she had fooled him into thinking there was nothing out of the ordinary going on. But something was most certainly out of the ordinary, and she was going to figure out just what that was.

* * *

"Doctor, let her go."

The Doctor had felt the TARDIS's anxiety the moment her doors slammed shut. There was an urgency in her that he hadn't sensed in a very long time. So, when Rose suggested letting the TARDIS do what she wanted and she simultaneously relaxed, he knew something was up.

"What?" He said, confusion in his voice.

"I said, 'Let her go.' She's scared."

Rose's voice was so calm and so certain that he simply stopped was he was doing. He turned to look at her, the confusion he felt coloring his face. "I know that...but how do you know that?"

Rose smiled nonchalantly, as if her declaration of the TARDIS's feelings were a normal, every day occurrence. "Just a guess. I mean, she did leave in a hurry."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes again. He went to press the subject further, but a wave of calm rushed over him. Looking up at the TARDIS, he knew she wanted him to let it go. So, much to his dismay, he dropped the matter.

Pulling the main lever of the TARDIS, he sighed. "Well, shall we see where she's taken us?"

Rose nodded, and ran over to the door, pushing it open. The light from outside flooded the console room, blinding the Doctor for a moment. He smiled softly as Rose ran outside, leaving him behind. He was quick to follow her though.

Much to his surprise, they hadn't even left London or - he suspected - Rose's time period. They were parked on top of the roof of one of the buildings. The morning sun hung high in the sky, allowing him to see for miles. His eyes took in the sight while his mind tried to reason why the TARDIS brought them here.

Rose had figured it out almost immediately. "Doctor," She said, coming over to him and taking his hand. "You know where we are?"

He looked around. "London."

She gave his shoulder a slight shove. "No kidding, Sherlock. I meant, 'Do _you_ know where we are?'"

He took one more good look across the horizon before it hit him. His hearts twisted together slightly with memories and emotions he had long put behind him. The TARDIS had brought the them to the rooftop where Rose and he had watched the spaceship crash land in London. It was one of their first major conflicts together. One of many.

"It's been some time," He said, smiling.

The Doctor sat down on one of the ledges, pulling Rose down with him. Their hands stayed latched together, like a boat tethered to a dock. The Doctor made small circular motions with his thumb in the center of Rose's palm, and every so often, she was give his hand a little squeeze. Eventually, she leaned her head on his shoulder - as she had done so many times before. The two of them remained like that for what seemed like eternity. Two statues frozen in time.

Eventually, Rose lifted up her head and smiled at him. "I wonder why she brought us here."

"Good question." The Doctor answered, pausing before giving a small smirk. "What's say we find out?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** One of my favorite layouts/designs of the TARDIS console room is when the Doctor travels with Clara in the beginning, so for those of you who are like me (and build the entire story in your mind as you read), you can picture where Rose and the Doctor were in this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

"You can't leave us stranded up here!" The Doctor yelled as he pounded on the door of the TARDIS. For the last half hour, he had tried desperately to open the TARDIS door, but to no avail. He had promised to follow her lead in whatever venture she saw fit, but he needed to get back into the TARDIS.

"Doctor," Rose said, doing her best not to laugh. "I know you said we should find out why she brought us up here, but..."

"No," He said, turning toward her, eyes wide with frustration. Rose knew he wasn't angry with her - just the situation - but the sight of the rage across his face caused her to shrink back. Immediately, his expression softened. "I'm sorry. It's just...I don't know what's gotten into her lately."

She sighed. The Doctor had every right to be frustrated, but Rose just didn't see the point in all of it. If the TARDIS knew something they didn't (which, she surely did), then there was no use in fighting her. Rose walked away from the Doctor and made her way over to the ledge of the building. Peering down, she saw practically barren streets. There was nothing more than a few trash cans and graffiti laden walls. Her eyes scanned aimlessly over the various words and images. Almost immediately, she noticed something odd about them.

Growing up, she had seen graffiti like this a hundred different times. Each piece of artwork was a monument to itself, secluded from the rest. For obvious reasons too - being that each was painted by a different artist. The graffiti in front of Rose, however, seemed to be all connected. The colors blended into one another, the words forming nonsense phrases. It was rather beautiful.

Suddenly, as if a new window in her mind had been opened, Rose realized these colors and words linked together to create one giant phrase.

Bad Wolf.

Her heart seized up with anxiety. It had been years since she had seen those words. All those year ago, they had followed the Doctor and her like a stray cat. If memory served her correctly, the last time she saw those words...

"Rose, what's wrong?"

She looked up at the Doctor, who was now standing by her side. Instead of answering him though, she simply peered back over the ledge. It didn't make sense to her. Why would those words illicit such a response from her?

Memories flashed through her mind like an old film. There was the Doctor, standing before the oldest and most powerful Dalek in all of creation. She smiled seeing him again in that form. His leather jacket matched the stern look on his face. They were bargaining. Just as she was ready to settle into that memory, another appeared, if you could call it that. Rose stumbled backward at the bright light before her eyes. It was so blinding she was certain it couldn't be a memory. It enveloped her thoughts like a strange fog. And it hurt - oh, how it hurt.

"Rose!"

* * *

The Doctor had been so focused on getting into the TARDIS that he never noticed Rose was standing precariously close to the ledge of the building. If it wasn't for the TARDIS spitting the key out of the keyhole, he never would have noticed her stumble backwards.

"Rose, what's wrong?" He said, rushing to her side.

Her face was ashen, practically drained of the natural pink flush she always sported. It looked as if she was going to pass out. Catching her by the arm, the Doctor tried to pull her away from the ledge, but she simply leaned over once again, peering at something he couldn't see. He watched as her eyes lost their focus, and if he didn't know better, she was in a waking dream state.

"Rose," He whispered, his anxiety stealing his voice.

She didn't respond, only starred. Taking her wrist in his hand, he checked her pulse. He could feel the blood pumping through her veins at a speed that was much faster than it should be. Pulling his sonic screwdriver from his coat pocket, he scanned her. His previous assumptions had been correct. She was in some form of waking dream state. The Doctor had seen this before, in a variety of species. But never in humans.

There were several methods to revive a person from this particular state, but he wasn't certain Rose would survive any of them. They were pretty invasive. He had helped the Silurians when an outbreak of the phenomena occurred on a handful of their people. Two out of the fifteen died, while the rest were never really the same. As the Doctor was contemplating how to help Rose, she sudden stumbled backwards again and groaned as if in pain.

"Rose!" He yelled as he quickly caught her in his arms.

She slumped against his chest. "Doctor," She mumbled over and over again.

"I'm here," He said calmly, smoothing the several strands of blonde hair that fell in her face. "I'm right here."

It took a few minutes, but Rose's color began to reappear on her face, and her eyes were no longer distant. The Doctor wasn't certain how she was able to bring herself out of the waking dream state. For all intensive purposes, when someone entered, they didn't come out without outside help. Maybe it was different with humans.

"I'm sorry," Rose said finally, sitting up slowly.

The Doctor let out a nervous, but relieved laugh. "Sorry? For what?"

She smiled weakly. "What a way to spend the day with an old friend."

He laughed again, this time pulling her into a hug. "Rose Tyler, you astound me. Of all the ridiculous schemes we've gotten ourselves into, this is the one you're worried about." He paused a moment, his expression turning serious. "You want to tell me what happened?"

Rose shook her head, but answered anyway. "I don't really know. One minute I was looking over the edge at the graffiti on the wall, the next minute I..." She hesitated. "I saw you. All those years ago, with that bloody Dalek emperor."

The Dalek emperor? She couldn't possibly be talking about the day he regenerated into his tenth self, could she? In waking dream states, the victim usually has dreams that are similar to their own lives, but with weird twists to them. Like you work at a coffee shop that sell footballs. Rarely did you travel to a distant memory and relive it. And this particular memory was supposed to be suppressed - he had made sure of it when he had taken the time vortex out of her.

"Do you think she'll let us in now?" Rose said suddenly, rising slowly and turning toward the TARDIS.

The Doctor rose with her, keeping his hand on her arm to make sure she was steady. "Let's find out."

With a snap of his fingers, the door of the TARDIS flew open, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The Doctor was grateful she decided to cooperate, but he would deal with talking to his TARDIS later.

One weird event after another seemed to be happening, and the Doctor was going to get to the bottom of it. Plus, he needed to make sure Amy and Rory were okay - and that Amy wasn't going to strangle him for leaving without saying goodbye. First and foremost though, he needed to make sure Rose was going to be okay.

"Let's get you inside," He said, pausing briefly before confessing. "Your room is right where you left it."


	6. Chapter 6

The smell of her old room tickled her nose long before she reached the door. The Doctor had led her into the TARDIS, holding her arm as she was still a little wobbly. At first Rose thought he was joking, but when they turned down the hall, she realized he was telling the truth. Her room was exactly where it was all those years ago. Even more surprising was the room looked virtually untouched.

He had left her to get settled alone, and Rose noticed he wouldn't even look in the direction of the room. Simply stood several feet back, motioned toward the door, and turned on his heels back down the hallway. She didn't understand why until she was standing in the middle of it.

Her bed remained unmade - had she neglected to do that, that fateful day? All her little knickknacks were littered all over her dresser and bedside tables. The chair to her desk wasn't even pushed in.

A wave of emotion hit Rose like a truck. The Doctor hadn't touched a single thing, all these years. Tears began to well up in her eyes, and she quickly leaned against the dresser for support. It felt as if her chest were caving in with the force of her emotions.

Rose had spent countless hours of her life imagining the Doctor moving on without her. He would go through her things, throw most of them out, and close the door to her room - never to remember. She would become just another companion - just another person to lose. Yet here, as she let the tears roll down her face, Rose realized she was all wrong.

Completely and utterly wrong.

The Doctor had not forgotten about her. In fact, by the looks of her room, he had chosen to memorialize her. He kept every single thing exactly as it was. The tears she shed finally ceased, and were replaced with laughter.

"You impossible man." Rose said aloud as she walked over to her closet. "You even kept my clothes."

She ran her hands over the fabric, touching each piece of clothing individually. Grabbing a sweatshirt, she quickly threw it over her, surprised it still fit. This act let the floodgates of her curiosity loose. For the next hour, Rose went through each and every crevice of her room. Each item brought back a new memory, sometimes causing more laughter, sometimes tears.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she stood up and made her way back to the console room. Much to her surprise, the Doctor wasn't there. She didn't mind though - there was something else she needed to do before finding him. Grazing her hand over the TARDIS panel, she looked up.

"I know you can hear me, regardless of whether I speak or not," She said to the TARDIS. It seemed to purr in response. "That's what I thought. Even though that's the case, I still need to say this out loud."

The TARDIS made no sound this time, which Rose hoped was a good sign that she was listening.

"I don't know how I know what you're thinking or...feeling, if you can feel." She said pausing. "But I swear, if you brought him back to me and this causes him more pain, I'll..."

Rose didn't get to finish her sentence, as the Doctor strolled in, smiling.

"I thought I heard you in here," He grinned. "Were you talking to someone?"

She shook her head. "No, just looking over the new design." She gestured to around the room. "It looks nice. Very sleek."

The Doctor clapped his hands together. "I'm so glad you like it! I even kept the round things, even though...I've no idea what they are."

Rose chuckled, but her smile fell when she noticed the look on his face. "What's wrong?"

He smiled, but it didn't touch his eyes. "You've missed quite a bit." He said softly.

Immediately, she knew what he was trying to bring up. She walked over to him and touched his arm gently. "I know you're traveling with new companions."

He looked at her curiously. "How'd you know that?"

"Well, for one, I know you don't travel alone for long. Secondly, I saw them."

The Doctor's eyes widened. "You did?"

Rose nodded. "A redhead and another skinny guy."

His brow furrowed. "Excuse me, I'm not as skinny as I once was..."

She laughed but continued on. "I'd love to meet them."

His eyes lit up like a tree during Christmas time. "Brilliant! Let's go find them!" He grabbed her hand to pull them out of the TARDIS, but Rose didn't move. "What's the matter?"

Rose hesitated slightly. "Doctor, I'd love to meet them, but are they going to love to meet me? I mean..."

She didn't know how to finish the sentence. Rose was not worried about meeting them - in fact, she was excited. They must be something special if the Doctor chose them to be his travel companions. However, Rose remembers when she was his travel companion and he brought someone else on board. She laughed in her mind - oh, how jealous she used to get! Would his new friends feel as she once did all those years ago?

The Doctor smiled softly, taking her face in his hands. "They will love you, I promise." He leaned forward, kissing her forehead. "I promise."

* * *

"I know you can hear me, regardless of whether I speak or not."

The Doctor froze a moment as Rose's voice drifted from the console room. He had dropped her off at her room over an hour ago, and he fully anticipated she would remain there for some time. Since then, he was pouring through his resources, studying the various effects waking dreams can have on the human mind. There wasn't much to go on, despite his extensive library.

Now, as the Doctor stood outside one of the main doors to the console room, he listened closely to Rose's conversation with the TARDIS.

The TARDIS let out a calming purr sound. Odd, he'd never heard that sound before. "That's what I thought. Even though that's the case, I still need to say this out loud."

He waited for another response from the police box, but she remained silent. This caused him to lean even further toward the door. He knew it was rude to eavesdrop, but something inside himself couldn't force him to break away.

"I don't know how I know what you're thinking or...feeling, if you can feel." Rose paused.

The Doctor's hearts stuttered, and he felt a million different emotions rise within him. He had been right - Rose could feel what the TARDIS was feeling. His mind reeled. How on earth was that possible? That connection was not a two way street! The TARDIS could easily read every person that came into the TARDIS, but no one but himself could sense her. And even then, sometimes the TARDIS's intentions or thoughts remained a mystery.

"But I swear, if you brought him back to me and this causes him more pain, I'll..."

The Doctor couldn't allow her to finish that next sentence - it would be too painful for the both of them. So, he quickly burst through the door, smile plastered to his face as if he had not a care in the world.

"I thought I heard you in here," He grinned. "Were you talking to someone?"

She shook her head. "No, just looking over the new design. It looks nice. Very sleek."

The Doctor's heart fell slightly at her made up response, but he quickly brushed the emotions aside. Clapping his hands together, he smiled wide. "I'm so glad you like it! I even kept the round things, even though...I've no idea what they are."

Rose chuckled but her smile fell immediately, replaced by a serious gaze. "What's wrong?"

The Doctor did his best to put another smile on his face, but the smile quickly faded. "You've missed quite a bit."

"I know you're traveling with new companions," She said after coming over to him, brushing her hand against his arm.

He look down at her hand, before looking back up. "How'd you know that?"

"Well, for one, I know you don't travel alone for long. Secondly, I saw them."

The Doctor's eyes widened. "You did?"

"A redhead and another skinny guy." A small smirk spread across her face.

"Excuse me," He said in mock offense. "I'm not as skinny as I once was..."

She laughed, walking toward the door. "I'd love to meet them."

His heart leapt hearing her enthusiasm. "Brilliant! Let's go find them!"

The moment he caught sight of her on that park bench, his thoughts went into a million different directions - one of them being how she would react to his new found friends. Amy and Rory were incredibly important to him. He felt a duty to protect them, along with the desire to show them the world. As he felt with Rose all those years ago. So, to hear she wanted to meet them was an amazing relief. However, as he pulled her toward the door of the TARDIS, he was met with resistance. Rose wouldn't move.

"What's the matter?" He asked, his smile falling slightly.

Rose hesitated slightly. "Doctor, I'd love to meet them, but are they going to love to meet me? I mean..."

Her sentence faded into silence, and the Doctor looked at her with surprise and confusion. Why on earth wouldn't they want to meet her? There were so many reasons they should want to meet Rose. Granted, he never once mentioned her to them. And why should he? He was the woman she lost - they wouldn't have understood anyway.

As his hearts threw these thoughts into his mind, something else dawned on him. The Doctor looked up at Rose's face, and his heart fell. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes, the fear. She was scared, and he never wanted her to be afraid ever again.

Taking her face in his hands, he smiled softly. "They will love you, I promise." He leaned forward hesitantly and kissed her forehead. "I promise."

Her eyes slowly lit up before she nodded once. "What are we waiting for, then?"

Sliding his hand in hers, he grinned. "Geronimo!"


End file.
